Rachel Walla
It’s amazing how little you need to get by from day to day. It seems like lately, I’ve only been travelling long distances for stays of less than a week. I get sick of hauling around a lot of unneeded baggage through airports.
That, coupled with the fact that I would rather go without than pay to check luggage means I have whittled down the list of what to bring to what fits in my backpack. If you do it right and pack efficiently, you can have everything you need on vacation without the hassle of luggage. This list is geared towards travel in general but some items are especially essential if your vacations tend to involve camping and hiking.
1.First, you will need your camera, it’s one of those things that if you forget it, you will either regret it or wind up putting out a hefty amount for a new one.
2.Next, if you are flying, bring your iPod. Babies are cute yes, but once they get on a plane, they only cause headaches, which brings me to my second point;
3.Pack aspirin. Travelling means sitting still for way too long and you are likely to wind up with headaches, hangovers and the like during your travels.
4.As far as clothes go, think of what you absolutely have to have to get by. I choose jeans, a skirt, one good pair of shoes and shirts I can layer depending on the weather. If you do it right you can have about 4 pretty casual looks and one dressy one. Planes are usually cold for me so I wear the bulkier items like sweatshirts on the plane to reduce the amount I pack.
5.A quick drying towel. You can get these in recreation outfitter and they usually fold up very small so they are easy to take. Trust me on this one, it comes in handy and it’s nice to use your own rather than anyone else’s.
6.A Shower Kit. Pack all that you can into a separate plastic bag because it just sucks when your shampoo leaks all over your passport. The best way to consolidate the amount to bring is to bring a soap that can double as shampoo and shaving cream. Also, I find it absolutely necessary to bring some sort of towelettes to clean up if you aren’t around showers and need to look presentable.
7.A water bottle. If you want to save money, buy a good water bottle. It will get you through a lot, and drinking enough water keeps you healthier while you travel. In fact, an airplane is so drying and unhealthy it’s common to feel dehydrated by the flight itself.
8.Snacks. Bring something healthy and imperishable if you can, just a couple of granola bars or the like to keep you from spending extra cash every time you get hungry.
9.A cell phone charger. If anything is to happen such as getting lost in a strange city or you get separated from your group, a cell phone can really save the day. They are fast becoming the handiest tool to keep with you, and you can check your e-mail on pretty much every model now, so it eliminates the need to bring a laptop.
10.Cash in your wallet and a back up supply. People rarely leave the house without a wallet or a purse so this is a no-brainer usually. However, if your bag gets stolen or you get pick pocketed, it’s a good idea to keep a back-up credit card, some cash and back-up identifying documents with you. Just store them in two separate places in case something unfortunate happens.
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